Do you know what other options you have and are able to afford? Should you find yourself both unable to pay your medical bills and unable to return to work, the crisis may turn to catastrophe, but you can still make it through these difficult times.

Preparation

Whether you have a personal policy or a work-funded policy, review your deductible. Know your responsibility and what percentage should be covered by your insurer. If you get the chance to meet with an insurance rep, ask questions and don’t be afraid to ask for term definitions. When it comes to your insurance and your care, there is not such thing as stupid questions. If you have thought of a question that needs answering, then chances are someone else has also thought of that same question. Just don’t be afraid to ask it. You should know exactly how your insurance works at all times and you should know all of your options of how it can benefit you when you are injured.

Research

For example, a word that often gets bounced around is responsibility, as in, "Once you meet your deductible, 20% of remaining expenses will be your responsibility." This is a warning that you’ll need to pay more than your deductible as the bills start coming in; while this 20% often caps out, you need to be aware that your deductible is not the end of your financial risk. This extra risk can add up to a large financial burden.

Vigilance

You’ll need to review each invoice and referral with extreme vigilance to make sure:

you’re not billed for something you didn’t get, or

you don’t get referred to additional care out of your network

The world of medical care is fraught with the risk for error. Coding mistakes can lead to large invoices for items you either didn’t receive or that should have been covered by your insurance but was denied due to a keying error. While we’re all human and we need to remember that anyone can make a mistake, catching that mistake will be your job, so put some time into reviewing your medical bills.

Disability

In the event of a disabling event or illness, you may need extra assistance in applying for and getting coverage for the source of your disability and for care going forward. You will be fully engrossed in the life changes brought on by this event and will need diligent guidance as you navigate the bureaucracy and get assistance to support yourself and your family.

Professionals well versed in disability law such as Emroch & Kilduff can reduce some of your stress and burden. They may also be able to help you get the compensation you deserve to cover those medical bills as well.

Too often, events outside of our control can radically alter the path of our personal well-being. Getting great medical care is priority one. Finding trustworthy advisors, well-versed in disability law, is also critical.